Patient body wedge and repositioning device

Abstract

Disclosed is a padded body wedge-type cushion constructed in a specific shape and contour to facilitate a desired positioning of a patient by one or more caregivers. The disclosed body wedge comprises a sloped, flat planar front panel, a rounded apex top connecting the front panel to an integral vertical rear surface; identical left side and right side; a horizontally-oriented base panel having a non-slip material affixed exteriorly thereto, wherein the base panel is sequentially connected by stitched seams to the front panel, the left side, the vertical rear surface, and the right side of the wedge. A grip handle is fixed midway along the rear edge of the base panel, thereby rendering more effective positioning leverage for a user. A notification, reading “Patient Side,” is printed upon the front panel. The disclosed padded wedge provides an effective mechanism to effectuate repositioning of a prone, bedridden patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An angular-shaped, padded wedge for use as stabilization support for a bed-ridden patient, the padded wedge having a quantity of pliable material enclosed interiorly, the padded wedge comprising
 (a) a continuous, rectangular shaped segment of material having a right lateral edge, a left lateral edge, a front edge, and a rear edge, wherein the segment of material is extended and formed, longitudinally, into a sloped planar front surface, a curved rounded apex, and a vertically-oriented rear surface;   (b) a frontward-sloping left side conjoined with the left lateral edge of the planar front surface;   (c) a frontward-sloping right side conjoined with the right lateral edge of the planar front surface;   (d) a horizontally-oriented, rectangular base panel having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the base panel is sequentially connected, by stitched seams, to the front edge of the planar front surface, the bottom of the left side, the bottom of the rear surface, and the bottom of the right side;   (e) a non-slip material affixed to the outer surface of the base panel;   (f) a notification in writing, on the sloped planar front surface, indicating that the planar front surface functions as the “patient side” of the padded wedge, and   (g) a grip handle fixed midway along the exterior rear edge of the base panel.   
     
     
         2 . The padded wedge of  claim 1 , wherein the pliable material enclosed within the padded wedge comprises polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         3 . The padded wedge of  claim 1 , wherein the sloped planar front surface is constructed at an angle of thirty degrees relative to the horizontally-oriented base panel. 
     
     
         4 . The padded wedge of  claim 1 , wherein the notification on the sloped planar front surface is written in any one of a language selected from the group consisting of English, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, French, Standard Arabic, Bengali, German, Bengali, Portuguese, Indonesian, Dutch, Bulgarian, Danish, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Swahili, Turkish, and Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. 
     
     
         5 . A stand-alone, sanitizable, sloped body wedge for use as a body stabilizing device and as a mechanism for repositioning a bedridden person, the body wedge comprising:
 an enclosed structure containing pliable material, the structure formed of a horizontally-oriented rectangular base panel, an extended rectangular, sloped front panel having a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a left longitudinal edge, and a right longitudinal edge, a vertical left sidewall shaped essentially as a right triangle having a horizontal long leg, a vertical short leg, and a leg equivalent to a hypotenuse, and a rounded upper apex, and a vertical right sidewall shaped essentially as a right triangle having a horizontal long leg, a vertical short leg, and a leg equivalent to a hypotenuse, and a rounded upper apex, wherein:   (a) the projected intersection of the vertical short leg of the left sidewall and its hypotenuse is constructed as a rounded apex;   (b) the projected intersection of the vertical short leg of the right sidewall and its hypotenuse is constructed as a rounded apex;   (c) the left longitudinal edge of the top panel is connected, by a seam, sequentially to the hypotenuse of the left sidewall, the upper apex of the left sidewall, and the short leg of the left sidewalk   (d) the right longitudinal edge of the top panel is connected, by a seam, sequentially to the hypotenuse of the right sidewall, the upper apex of the right sidewall, and the short leg of the right sidewall;   (e) first lateral edge of the top panel is connected, by a seam, to the front edge of the base panel;   (f) the second lateral edge of the top panel is connected, by a seam, to the rear edge of the base panel, thereby forming a rear surface panel; (g) a grip handle connected, by a seam, midway along the rear edge of the apparatus; whereby   i) the left lower edge and right lower edge of the body wedge are parallel and mutually coextensive, ii,) the front edge and rear edge of the body wedge are parallel and mutually coextensive, and iii) the left vertical rear edge and right vertical rear edge of the body wedge are parallel and mutually coextensive.   
     
     
         6 . The body wedge of  claim 5 , wherein the pliable material enclosed within the body wedge comprises polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         7 . The body wedge of  claim 5 , wherein the sloped planar front surface is constructed at an angle of thirty degrees relative to the horizontally-oriented base surface. 
     
     
         8 . The body wedge of  claim 5 , wherein a notification, reading “patient side” on the sloped planar front surface is written in any one of a language selected from the group consisting of English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, French, Standard Arabic, Bengali, German, Bengali, Portuguese, Indonesian, Dutch, Bulgarian, Danish, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Swahili, Turkish, and Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. 
     
     
         9 . An improved patient bed wedge apparatus of the type commonly used as a support cushion, patient positioning aid, rehabilitation bed wedge, or similar function, the apparatus commonly known having a flat base panel for horizontally positioning upon the surface of a bed, a vertical surface conjoined with the bottom surface, the vertical surface extending upward from the bed surface, a left surface, a right surface, and a sloped planar surface, the sloped planar surface functioning as the surface placed in abutment to some portion of a patient's body, wherein the improvement comprises:
 (a) a rounded apex structure fabricated at the projected intersection of the sloped planar surface and the vertical surface, wherein the rounded apex conjoins the vertical surface and the sloped planar surface and coextensive with the width of the bed wedge;   (b) a “patient side” notification in writing, placed on the sloped planar surface; and (c) a grip handle affixed at two attachment points, to the rear edge of the bottom surface, the attachment points being linearly parallel to the edge of the base panel.   
     
     
         10 . The body wedge of  claim 9 , wherein the pliable material enclosed within the body wedge comprises polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         11 . The body wedge of  claim 9 , wherein the sloped planar front surface is constructed at an angle of thirty degrees relative to the horizontally-oriented base panel. 
     
     
         12 . The body wedge of  claim 9 , wherein a notification, reading “patient side” on the sloped planar front surface is written in any one of a language selected from the group consisting of English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, French, Standard Arabic, Bengali, German, Bengali, Portuguese, Indonesian, Dutch, Bulgarian, Danish, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Swahili, Turkish, and Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. 
     
     
         13 . A method for efficiently and comfortably moving or turning the body of a bedridden patient lying horizontally atop a mattress and sheet, comprising the steps of
 (a) providing a first angular-shaped, padded wedge, and a second angular-shaped padded wedge, each padded wedge identically comprising (i) a sloped, fiat planar front surface, (ii) a rounded apex connecting the sloped, flat front surface to an integral vertical rear surface; (iii) identical left side and right sides, (iv) a horizontally-oriented base panel having a non-slip material affixed to the exterior surface of the base panel, and further, the base panel being sequentially connected by stitched seams to the flat planar front surface, the left side, the rear surface, and the right side of the padded wedge; and (v) a grip handle fixed midway along the rear edge of the base panel of each, the first padded wedge and the second padded wedge thereby providing more leverage;   (b) placing the base panel of the first padded wedge upon the mattress/sheet, while simultaneously placing the sloped flat planar front surface of the first padded wedge proximate the upper torso of the patient, and afterward, placing the base panel of the second padded wedge upon the mattress/sheet, orienting the flat planar front surface of the second padded wedge in partial contact with the lower torso of the patient;   (c) grasping the grip handle of the first padded wedge while simultaneously turning the patient away from the front surface of the first padded wedge so as to cause the patient to lie in an angled position;   (d) as necessary, placing the front surface of the second padded wedge proximate the lower back area of the patient, while simultaneously placing the bottom surface of the second padded wedge in full contact with the sheet atop the mattress;   (e) grasping the grip handle on each the first padded wedge and second padded wedge, thereby positioning the first padded wedge and second padded wedge in abutment to the patient's body such that both padded wedges function in the manner of a lever for moving the patient's body about the longitudinal axis of the patient's body.   
     
     
         14 . The padded wedge of  claim 13 , wherein the pliable material enclosed within the padded wedge comprises polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         15 . The padded wedge of  claim 13 , wherein the sloped planar front surface is constructed at an angle of thirty degrees relative to the horizontally-oriented base panel. 
     
     
         16 . The padded wedge of  claim 13 , wherein the notification on the sloped planar front surface is written in any one of a language selected from the group consisting of English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, French, Standard Arabic, Bengali, German, Bengali, Portuguese, Indonesian, Dutch, Bulgarian, Danish. Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Swahili, Turkish, and Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.